Patton (1970)

The World War II phase of the career of controversial American general George S. Patton.

Director:

Franklin J. Schaffner

Writers:

Francis Ford Coppola (screen story and screenplay), Edmund H. North (screen story and screenplay)

Stars:

George C. Scott, Karl Malden, Stephen Young

Won 7 Oscars. Another 17 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George C. Scott	...	General George S. Patton Jr.
Karl Malden	...	General Omar N. Bradley
Stephen Young	...	Captain Chester B. Hansen
Michael Strong	...	Brigadier General Hobart Carver
Carey Loftin	...	General Bradley's Driver (as Cary Loftin)
Albert Dumortier	...	Moroccan Minister
Frank Latimore	...	Lieutenant Colonel Henry Davenport
Morgan Paull	...	Captain Richard N. Jenson
Karl Michael Vogler	...	Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
Bill Hickman	...	General Patton's Driver
Pat Zurica	...	First Lieutenant Alexander Stiller (as Patrick J. Zurica)
James Edwards	...	Sergeant William George Meeks
Lawrence Dobkin	...	Colonel Gaston Bell
David Bauer	...	Lieutenant Gen. Harry Buford
John Barrie	...	Air Vice-Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham

Storyline

"Patton" tells the tale of General George S. Patton, famous tank commander of World War II. The film begins with Patton's career in North Africa and progresses through the invasion of Europe and the fall of the Third Reich. Side plots also speak of Patton's numerous faults such his temper and tendency toward insubordination, faults that would prevent him from becoming the lead American general in the Normandy Invasion as well as to his being relieved as Occupation Commander of Germany.

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Plot Keywords:

year 1942 | year 1945 | year 1944 | year 1943 | world war two in italy | 

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Taglines:

Direct from its sensational reserved seat engagement.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | War

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Certificate:

GP

Did You Know?

Trivia

At the end of the film the monologue Patton gives about an ancient Roman triumph was lifted from a 1962 book by Robert Payne called "The Roman Triumph." This is from the very first paragraph: "For over a thousand years Roman conquerors returning from the wars enjoyed the honor of a triumph. In the procession came trumpeters and musicians and strange animals from the conquered territories, together with carts laden with treasure and captured armaments. The conqueror rode in a triumphal chariot, and the dazed prisoners walked in front of him. Sometimes his children, robed in white, stood with him in the chariot, or rode the trace horses. A slave stood behind the conqueror, holding a golden crown over his head, and whispering in his ear a warning that all glory is fleeting."

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Goofs

In the first battle of the film, a high angle long-shot shows a German soldier following a tank who falls forward from the shock of an explosion that happens behind him. But he falls shortly before the blast.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Patton: Now I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.

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Crazy Credits

One of the very, very few Twentieth Century-Fox films in which that company's logo is not shown at all, beginning or end. The film simply begins with the opening speech, and the opening Fox logo is replaced with an in-credit text-only notice after the speech. However, recent television showings have added the logo (not on DVD prints), and the addition is obviously spliced in from another piece of film.

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Alternate Versions

The IMDb credits reflect those in a version of the film once broadcast by Cinemax and listed in the AFI Catalogue. Another version in letterbox format (once broadcast by AMC) omit and change some of the credits. Omitted are: credits for Alex Weldon, Joe Canutt and Pacific Title. Changed credits are all in the Sound Department, where Don J. Bassman, 'Theodore Soderberg', Murray Spivack and Douglas O. Williams are credited simply for 'sound." Whether this was a re-released version is uncertain.

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Connections

Featured in The 53rd Annual Academy Awards (1981)

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Soundtracks

The Washington Post
(1889) (uncredited)
Music by John Philip Sousa
Played as the 7th Army parades through Palermo and Patton meets the Cardinal.

User Reviews

The Classic War Movie

Not much can be said of this movie that already hasn't been said. It captures the war, the man, and the conflict of the two. I thought the movie was very nicely tied together and I thought the reflections of Patton on the past was very necessary. Patton believed in reincarnation so in looking back at historical battles you can see how Patton developed his strategy. He was a student of great leaders and commanders and the movie developed that thought really well. The movie presented the characters, the actual war history, and the Germans extremely well and it is no wonder this movie received the awards it did. After watching this movie over and over again, I'm convinced that no one could have played Patton any better than George C. Scott. You can tell from the movie that he put everything he had into the character. My father-in-law was an officer under Patton in the 3rd. Army and has said over and again how realistic the movie is. I would recommend this movie to anyone looking for an excellent re-telling of WWII history.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English German French Russian Arabic Italian

Release Date:

2 April 1970 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Salute to a Rebel

Filming Locations:

Royal Palace of Madrid, Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$61,749,765

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$61,749,765

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

172 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (Westrex Recording System) Mono (35 mm prints) DTS 70 mm (70 mm re-release)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1